Egypt's Missed Chance in Nuke Diplomacy

Egypt is about to miss a golden opportunity to enhance its stature in global diplomacy, which has presented itself in the form of Iran's suggestion of Cairo as the venue for the next round of multilateral nuclear negotiations. Despite unconfirmed reports that Cairo has turned a cold shoulder to this idea, it is still not too late for the embattled government of Mohammed Morsi to embrace it, thus gaining diplomatic and political capital.

Although the European Union has reacted negatively to Tehran's suggestion, depicting it as a "delay tactic", Cairo can still be the host city for the next round between Iran and the "5+1" nations (the UN Security Council's permanent five members plus Germany) only if Morsi, who is grappling with political tensions at home, nods positively.

The prospect of Cairo turning for a few days into a focus of global attention with respect to an important issue involving big powers and regional diplomacy can be a timely diversion for the Egyptian government that is trying to assert its independent role in global affairs.